“Yeah, we had a meeting, just went through our normal routine. Obviously it’s an afternoon game, but it’s good to get up and get moving a little bit, go for a walk, just try and stick to the regular routine as if it were a normal time,” says Moore. Tonight’s game is relatively early, starting at 5pm (8pm ET) due to its West Coast location.

Boyle adds that the Rangers, who have not played in six days (their series against Montreal ended on May 29) have taken advantage of their off-days to “rest, and we got our work in on the days that we needed to. Had some good practices…Shortened practices up, games every other day.” The Kings last played on June 1 in the series clincher against the Chicago Blackhawks.

And what is the team’s strategy for tonight?

“We need to limit [Drew Doughty’s] time and space as best we can,” says Moore. “When you’re down a man, we have a system that we have had success with. We need to stick to that.” Doughty is one of five players in contention for the Conn Smythe trophy for these playoffs.

Boyle is confident that his team is ready: “We had some time off. We came back to practice, I think the mindset was there.” And as the puck drop draws closer and closer, the Rangers just need to stay in that can-win mindset and keep their eyes on the prize.

Stephanie is currently a student at Roger Williams University and is working toward a BFA in Creative Writing and Film. She is hoping to pursue a master's degree in Sports Journalism after graduating. Stephanie is a former basketball player and now enjoys writing from the sidelines (though she wouldn't be opposed to watching from a press box). She quite literally turned into a full-fledged hockey fan overnight, and she is the lone Rangers/Blackhawks fan in a family of hardcore Bruins fans. During the offseason, she enjoys writing, film, traveling, and theatre.
Twitter: @stephanielynn_